Burnley Road Academy

Inspection of Burnley Road Academy Burnley Road, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire HX7 5DE

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 27 and 28 April 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Burnley Road has a staff team that has ‘rolled up its sleeves’ and worked together impressively to overcome the huge challenges of having to relocate to emergency premises. Following a catastrophic flood in February 2020, they rebuilt stocks of books, resources, and necessary teaching materials despite the challenges of the pandemic that soon followed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The fact that the impact upon pupils’ education has been so minimal is testament to the efforts of the whole school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils study a curriculum that is ambitious, well designed and rewarding. Pupils, from Nursery to those in Year 6, delight in talking about what they have studied and sharing what they have learned. For example, pupils in Reception showed an inspector the beetles they had found and talked confidently about other insects they had found previously.

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What is it like to attend this school?

At social times, and in the classroom, pupils behave well. They listen carefully when teachers are talking and are respectful of the views of others, even when they are different to their own. Pupils who need additional support to behave appropriately receive it so that they, and others, can remain in the classroom and learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying is extremely rare. Pupils know what bullying is, they know that they should tell an adult if bullying happens, and are confident it will be sorted out. Across school, pupils are kind to each other. They are happy and feel safe.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that pupils study a curriculum that is carefully planned from the start of Nursery through to Year 6. They have made sure that what pupils learn builds upon what pupils know when they start school, and that it prepares them for what they will learn in secondary school. Leaders are clear that all pupils will study the full curriculum. They ensure those with additional needs get the support they need for this to happen.

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better?

Individual subjects are led by small teams of teachers. They have worked together to develop plans that make it clear what pupils need to learn at each stage. Teachers routinely check that pupils know and understand what they have studied previously. When teachers identify gaps, they adjust their teaching.

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better?

In some subjects, teachers have to decide the order to teach new concepts. They can do so effectively because they have been closely involved in the curriculum design. Leaders are aware that this will not be as obvious to any new staff who join the school, and that curriculum planning needs to evolve to reflect this. 27 and 28 April 2022

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Senior leaders have carefully considered how to monitor the effectiveness of subject curriculums. They use small focus groups and hold structured conversations to find out whether pupils have gained the crucial knowledge and understanding identified in the curriculum. For example, a Year 5 focus group had been asked to place historical events they had studied into chronological order. Observing the pupils complete this task together allowed leaders to assess the degree to which pupils had developed knowledge about when key historical events happened over time. This knowledge allows leaders to make changes to curriculums where necessary.

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Reading is a high priority within the school. Teachers read to classes daily and listen to pupils read individually frequently. From the very start of school, pupils begin to learn phonic sounds. This is done initially through songs, rhymes and games and, as they move into Reception, through phonics sessions. Leaders have recently invested heavily in a new phonics programme. Staff have had extensive training on how to support pupils develop phonic knowledge using the scheme. Most adults teach pupils using the agreed scheme. Occasionally, adults slip into using alternative approaches. Those adults have received additional support in teaching phonics.

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Leaders have monitored attendance closely. They are clear with families that if pupils are not in school, they cannot benefit from the opportunities provided. Where pupils have poor attendance, leaders look carefully for the causes and take appropriate steps to improve attendance.

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Pupils benefit from the range of extra-curricular clubs that the school offers. Staff leading clubs are determined that they will be open to all pupils. Where pupils with additional needs require additional adult support to be able to attend, leaders ensure that this is put in place.

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Pupils learn about different religions and world views. They have a depth of knowledge that is building their understanding of the differences and similarities between different faiths. Using online meetings, they have had the chance to ask questions of religious leaders.

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Leaders, including governors, are very mindful of staff well-being. They are aware of the pressures that have been placed upon staff in the past two years. They have actively looked at ways to reduce workload without impacting negatively on pupils. The steps taken are greatly appreciated by staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have developed a culture where the safety and well-being of pupils is first and foremost in the minds of staff. All staff receive training, including on knowing the risks that pupils may face, potential signs to watch for and the steps to take if they have concerns. Teachers receive regular safeguarding updates in staff meetings. Some other adults working in school would benefit from more regular updates of the core messages. 27 and 28 April 2022

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Pupils are taught about the risks they face as they grow up, about how to keep safe in an online world and how to respond if they ever feel in danger. Pupils feel confident that there is someone in school they can speak to if they have worries or concerns.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, adults slip into using approaches from the school’s previous reading programme. This means that pupils are not always focusing on learning the phonic sounds in their sessions. Leaders should ensure that all staff are using the agreed phonics approaches in sessions and provide additional training/support where necessary.  Curriculum planning requires teachers to make decisions about the order of teaching new concepts themselves. They can do this effectively as they were involved in designing the curriculums. This is not true of teachers who are temporarily at, or will be new to, the school. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum plans will appropriately support teachers who were not part of the curriculum design process.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 27 and 28 April 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10210990 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 and 2 November 2016

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Information about this school

 The school is a standalone academy.  The school suffered significant flooding in February 2020, requiring it to move into temporary accommodation for three months.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is close to the national average.  The proportion of pupils with an educational health care plan is well above average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is close to the national average. 27 and 28 April 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held discussions with: the headteacher and the deputy headteacher; the special educational needs coordinator; the leader in charge of the PHSCE curriculum; the designated safeguarding leader and a group of governors.  Inspectors met the early years leader, visited the Nursey provision and Reception, and spoke with children.  Inspectors took account of a wide range of documentary information, including school policies, school self-evaluation, records of behaviour and attendance, minutes from governing body meetings and information regarding safeguarding processes.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into reading, science, mathematics and history. In each deep dive, inspectors reviewed curriculum documentation online,

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Information about this inspection

discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. An inspector listened to pupils reading.  Inspectors observed pupils at break, lunchtime and when moving around school.  Inspectors spoke to teachers, teaching assistants and support staff over the course of the inspection and considered responses to the staff survey.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the end of the school day and reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s Parent View survey.  Inspectors met formally with groups of pupils, review responses to the pupil survey and spoke to others informally throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Steve Wren, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Pritiben Patel Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 April 2022

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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